338 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
carpus). It climbs to the tops of the Algarrobos, and often hangs 
therefrom in dense masses. It has heart-shaped stellato-pubescent 
leaves and panicles of minute green flowers, which persist on the 
enclosed black utricle. A stout parasitical Loranthus, with small 
yellowish flowers, often forms large bushes on the Algarrobo, and 
generally ends by destroying the tree whereon it has established 
itself. 
A far handsomer tree than the Algarrobo sometimes grows 
along with it, especially where there is rather more moisture than 
usual ; this is the Charan (Caesalpinia). It is a widely-spreading 
tree, often branched from the very base, and the shining reddish 
bark is being constantly renewed. It has exceedingly graceful 
bipinnate foliage — roseate at the tips of the branches— panicles 
of yellow flowers, spotted with red, and thick deep-purple pods, 
which are extensively used in tanning. 
The Azota-Cristo or Whip-Christ {Farkmsonia aculeata\ so 
called from its excessively long pendulous leaves, from whose 
thong-like rachis the small leaflets often fall away, is less hand- 
some but still more uncommon-looking than the Charan, and it 
is also much rarer in this region. It reappears in the Antilles. 
A few other trees are occasionally met with, such as a 
Calliandra, conspicuous for its numerous flowers — green tinged 
with rose — out of which hang the long, silky, straw-coloured 
stamens, and for its curled scarlet pods ; two Acacias, one of 
them the widely-dispersed A. Farnesiana ; a Maytenus, which is 
especially abundant at the mouth of the Chira, and is common 
enough along the coast of Ecuador as far north as the Equator ; 
and the Oberal ( Varronia rotu7idifolia\ a solanaceous tree or shrub, 
with numerous bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers and white 
berries, abounding in a viscid juice, which is used by the dusky 
beauties of Guayaquil to straighten out their hair and hide its 
natural crispness. . . . 
The trees mentioned above as belonging to the desert grow 
also in the valley, and far more luxuriantly there, but generally 
scattered along the outer margin of the Algarrobo belt, especially 
wherever the soil is much impregnated with salt. The Zapote de 
perro bears a large berry, not unlike a smallish melon in size, 
shape, and the alternating green and white streaks. Its taste is 
disagreeable, and I have not seen it touched by any animal, 
although it is said to be eaten by dogs (as its name implies), and 
also by foxes and goats. The Vichaya, a dense growing bush, 
with oval hoary leaves, has yellow berries the size of a damson, 
containing a few stony seeds involved in a mawkish sweet pulp. 
Another Capparis, which scrambles up into the trees, also grows 
here, but rarely ; it is much more frequent near Guayaquil, as is 
also the Vichaya, which is there called Cuchuchu. In fact, all the 
trees and shrubs hitherto mentioned (with one or two exceptions) 
